The “ultimate authority" for Christians: The Bible, or the “Two Witnesses” of Revalation 11?

[raumzeitmc2]

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. - Rev. 11:3-6

I understand that, for our Protestant friends, the Bible, and the Bible alone, is believed to be the final and ultimate authority for Christians.

However, I can’t help wondering, who or what will be the final and ultimate authority for them when the “Two Witnesses” of Revelation 11 appear on the scene?

Will Protestants, even then, still maintain their policy of “Bible alone” and continue to insist on their “right” of “private interpretation,” or will they instead, relinquish such a “right,” and submit themselves unreservedly to the *living teaching authority * of the Two Witnesses, recognizing in them the final and absolute arbiters of God’s one truth?

In short, will “Bible Christians” then regard the pronouncements and teachings of the Two Witnesses as infallible and *universally binding *on all Christians?

 

[Lev23]

I understand that, for our Protestant friends, the Bible, and the Bible alone, is believed to be the final and ultimate authority for Christians.

However, I can’t help wondering, who or what will be the final and ultimate authority for them when the “Two Witnesses” of Revelation 11 appear on the scene?

Will Protestants, even then, still maintain their policy of “Bible alone” and continue to insist on their “right” of “private interpretation,” or will they instead, relinquish such a “right,” and submit themselves unreservedly to the *living teaching authority * of the Two Witnesses, recognizing in them the final and absolute arbiters of God’s one truth?

In short, will “Bible Christians” then regard the pronouncements and teachings of the Two Witnesses as infallible and *universally binding *on all Christians?

I don’t think you will get anywhere on your question. Mainly because most bible-alone people believe the two witnesses will come after the rapture of the church.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ricardo_Gomez]

Well, it all depends of what kind of protestant denomination we are talking about. There are, for example, the Jehova Witness who believe the persecution they suffered in the 1920’s was no other than the phrofecy of the dead of the two witnesses. Of course, for those who like to study things like that is easy to know that the persecution/jail time the brother Rutherord and his comrades suffered was nothing than the result of Russell’s false phrofecy! Also, the La Luz Del Mundo with its “second prophet of God”, Samuel Joaquin Flores, (the first being Eucebio Joaquin Gonzales)
Claim to be the two witnesses of the book of Revelation. Only problem is, what is going to happen when the already ill “true and last prophet of God” dies? Would God enhance the prophecy of the two witnesses?
Or what about the religion who claims the twelve tribes of Israel gather together under the preaching of the two witnesses, which are the political and religios system of the USA?

 

[spauline]

I understand that, for our Protestant friends, the Bible, and the Bible alone, is believed to be the final and ultimate authority for Christians.

However, I can’t help wondering, who or what will be the final and ultimate authority for them when the “Two Witnesses” of Revelation 11 appear on the scene?

Will Protestants, even then, still maintain their policy of “Bible alone” and continue to insist on their “right” of “private interpretation,” or will they instead, relinquish such a “right,” and submit themselves unreservedly to the *living teaching authority *of the Two Witnesses, recognizing in them the final and absolute arbiters of God’s one truth?

In short, will “Bible Christians” then regard the pronouncements and teachings of the Two Witnesses as infallible and *universally binding *on all Christians?

How about the Two Witnesses are Scripture and Tradition, the Written Word of GOd and the Oral Word of God?

The Two Witnesses and the Magisterium

 

[raumzeitmc2]

I don’t think you will get anywhere on your question. Mainly because most bible-alone people believe the two witnesses will come after the rapture of the church.

Au contraire, my friend! Indeed, I’ve already gotten quite far! But at any rate, surely not *all *Protestants believe like this?!

Well, it all depends of what kind of protestant denomination we are talking about.

I am, of course - if you will pardon the indelicacy - excluding the the complete “lunatic fringe!”

How about the Two Witnesses are Scripture and Tradition, the Written Word of GOd and the Oral Word of God?

From a Catholic point of view, yes, that may be a valid interpretation. But I’m still curious as to how the idea of Sola Scriptura will, from the Protestant perspective, figure into the scheme of things, assuming the Two Witnesses of Revelation are in fact, actual individuals and that there are Christians around at their appearing.

In other words,will Protestants, well, protest what the Two Witnesses teach, or will they finally put aside their sundry opinions and receive and accept the one truth as taught by God’s holy prophets?

There are as many sects and beliefs as there are heads. This fellow will have nothing to do with baptism, another denies the Sacrament, a third believes that there is another world between this and the Last Day. Some teach that Christ is not God, some say this, some that. . . . There is now no rustic so rude but that, if he dreams or fancies anything, it must be the whisper of the Holy Ghost and he him self a prophet. . . .

Martin Luther, An Die Christen zu Antwerpen, i. e., to the Christians at Antwerp, Early in April, 1525. In Luther, by Hartmann Grisar, vol. 4, p. 407.
Full German text of this Letter in W.M.L. De Wette, vol 3, pp. 60-64.

So my question, folks, still stands.

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“When the apostle James was talking about faith and works against those who thought their faith was enough, and didn’t want to have good works, he said, You believe God is one; you do well; the demons also believe, and tremble.” (Jas 2:19)

St. Augustine, Sermon 183:13:2

“…God’s young ladies, the holy virgins, have neither desired what was allowed them nor consented to what they were being forced into. Many of them, you see, have had to overcome the contrary efforts of their parents with the fire of heavenly love. Father was furious, mother was in tears; she didn’t care, because she had before her eyes one comely of form above the sons of men (Ps. 45:2). It was for him, and him alone that she longed to adorn herself, in order to care only and wholly for him. Because the woman who is married thinks about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband; but the one who is unmarried thinks about God’s affairs, how to please God.” 91 Cor. 7:34).

St. Augustine, Sermon 161:12.

The Works of Saint Augustine, A translation for the 21st Century, 1992, Sermons (148-183) on the New Testament, tr. Edmond Hill, O.P. part 3, Vol. 5, pp. 142-143, ISBN 1565480074

amazon.com/Sermons-151-183-Works-Saint-Augustine/dp/1565480074